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Is my employer breaking labor laws, including defamation of character?

I work in a preschool as a teacher's assistant and was recently accused (falsely) of child abuse by the administration at the school I work at. They based this accusation off of two people's accusations, and when I came to read these peoples' statements, I found out that there was no accusation of child abuse included. Specifically, my bosses told me that I was accused of hitting a child, but the people who complained about me included no such accusation. The school sent the grievance to the DCF, and it was weeded out because it was obvious that there was no cause to think I had abused a child. This situation has greatly distressed me to the point where I cannot go into work because of my anxiety, and I am looking for legal recourse.

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Attorney answers (2)

Reputation Level 15
It's hard to say without seeing what was in the statements. Keep in mind that in most state, teachers are mandated reporters and have to report any allegation of abuse. I don't think you can get a straight answer based solely on what you said. I'd pay for a sit-down with an employment lawyer local to you.
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Reputation Level 13
As the prior responder indicated, this is going to be fact specific. The duties of a mandatory reporter under 51A are of high public policy import, and it will be tough to show that the report was made out of malice or with reckless disregard for the veracity of the statements. You should consult with counsel about the matter.

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